Haunted
by Deathangel113
Summary: She never knew who she was. All she knew was waking up to be shot at and later seeing her mutilated form in a pond. Then she found out who she was, a homunculus, the new Lust. Her goals now, deceive the Elric brothers and obtain the Philosopher’s Ston
1. Prologue: Birth of Sin

**Disclaimer: FMA (anime/manga) is the property of Hiromu Arakawa. I hold no ownership or affiliation to it.**

**Summary:**** She never knew who she was. All she knew was waking up to be shot at and later seeing her mutilated form in a pond. Then she found out who she was, a homunculus, the new Lust. Her goals now, deceive the Elric brothers and obtain the Philosopher's Stone. But her new future may not be so different from her forgotten past.**

* * *

**Prologue: Birth of Sin**

_Sin is the base in humankind. It is the evil that all carry, no matter what is said in denial. This evil turns often results in horrendous actions._

"How did she die?"

"She was beaten to death."

His hands grasped the table tightly, his knuckles turning white. He took a deep breath, not wanting to believe. "Are you sure?"

"Yes. There is something else."

"What is it?"

"The autopsy revealed that she was abused before her death."

He closed his eyes. The words stabbing at his heart like a knife.

"I'm sorry Artemis."

__

Even after death, evil doesn't die. It causes its owners to take actions. Actions whose price is blood.

Blue light cracked around the room like lightning. A single figure was illuminated before darkening into shadow with the fading of light.

An alchemic circle engraved into the floor glowed softly before it too darkened. In the center of it, gurgling and cracking sounds were heard.

Blood feel to the floor in large amounts, creating a dark crimson pool. It continued to make soft splashing sounds as it flowed from a bloody stump that was once a left arm.

He breathed heavily, his remaining arm clutching at the wound. His eyes were closed tightly in pain. Swallowing deeply, he took a deep breath before opening his eyes to look at the center of the room. "Kairi..." he said in a raspy voice. His eyes attempted to discern whatever lay in the shadows, but to no avail. Pushing himself away from the wall he walked over slowly, picking up a hand gun from a side table.

As he drew closer the sounds became louder. He lifted the gun slightly in preparation for whatever may be awaiting him.

__

When this happens evil is reborn. It then that sin takes a new form.

His eyes widened as his eyes saw what lay on the ground. Stumbling backwards, he fumbled to grasp the gun firmly enough as to take aim. The mass of un-uniformed flesh caused him to shake in terror.

Moments later seven shots were heard, fired in rapid succession.


	2. Mysteries and Sorrow

**Disclaimer: FMA (anime/manga) is the property of Hiromu Arakawa. I hold no ownership or affiliation to it.**

* * *

**Mysteries and Sorrow**

The train sped down the track, moving at speeds that would easily cause harm to any who were foolish enough to cross the tracks and its path. Farms and trees were a peaceful sight of autumn golds, reds, and oranges. The beautiful time of year allowing for a scenic ride for the train's passengers.

Edward Elric was one of these passengers. Along with his brother Alphonse, he accompanied his childhood friend to a secluded town. The only reason of course that it was secluded was because it was unaffected by the military.

Drumming his fingers on the windowsill, Ed watched the passing farmlands with growing impatience. "When are we supposed to get to the station?" he asked, annoyance reflected heavily in his voice.

"5:20 p.m." the woman whose name was Winry said from beside him.

He sighed and the pace of his drumming fingers increased.

Winry watched him with a small smile on her face. She knew that Ed did not want to be on this train or going to the upcoming town. In fact, he had only less then willingly agreed to come with her when she had lied and said that she had heard a rumor of the town containing information on the Philosopher's Stone. Of course she knew that he had recognized the lie, but he had been kind enough to ignore it.

She glanced over to Al and held up one of her hands, counting one finger off at a time. When all five fingers had formed a fist she mouthed the question, "Why am I coming with you again?"

He glared at Winry when Al laughed slightly and he had turned fast enough to catch his friend in the act of mocking him.

"They may have information on the Philosopher's Stone," she said, repeating the lie that was very quickly getting old. She watched him until he turned away to look out the window again. Knowing that he would not want to talk at the moment, she decided to attempt to start up a conversation with the younger of the Elrics.

The conversation concerning the construction of auto mail was nearing its halfway point when the train station came into sight. Ed seemed to awaken from his prolonged silence when the station appeared. Before the train had even drawn to a stop, he was standing and walking to the door. Al and Winry followed less enthusiastically, but they were all out of the train within seconds of it stopping. Several minutes later it drew away and disappeared into the trees that made up a section of the forest that spread out behind the station.

"Where now?"

Winry looked around. The station was only a small wooden structure with a wooden platform. Despite the size, she saw no sigh of where to go or anyone who may show them the way.

"Ms. Rockbell?"

The three jumped at the sound of the voice. Turning to where they had heard it, they saw a man standing in an open doorway.

"Yes," she said with a nod.

"Artemis Sontor." He crossed the space between them, his hand held out. "Thank you for coming."

"You're welcome." Winry took his hand and shook it with polite enthusiasm.

"Here, let me take your bags."

She handed her bag of clothes to him, but kept the bag that held her equipment. "It's heavy," she explained, when he gave her a questioning look.

"So how do we get to the town?" Ed asked, slightly annoyed.

Artemis smiled and began to walk to the door where he had first appeared. "Follow me."

At the other side of the building the newcomers were met with the sight of the woods. Barely visible was a trail, overgrown with the vegetation that covered the ground. Artemis had all ready started his trek down the trail. The three followed after him, catching up in a matter of seconds.

"We don't have many people coming here or leaving for that matter. It can be a struggle to find the trail."

"You seemed to have found it easy enough," Ed said.

"I live here."

"How come there aren't that many visitors?" Al asked.

"We're a small town." He turned to Al with a questioning look.

"Alphonse! This is my brother Edward."

He nodded and continued. "Anyways Alphonse, we're a small town and not that many people know about us. I wouldn't be surprised if the military didn't know we existed still."

* * *

The town was made up of structures similar to that of the train station. There were several gardens, well kept with a mixture of herbs and brightly colored flowers.

Artemis led them to the inn where they were shown their rooms. When he had finished giving them a short tour of the inn, he led the three outside of the building and to the edge of town. "You're patient hasn't been in the best of moods lately."

"That's fine, I'm used to it," Winry said with a smile. She turned to Edward who looked away.

They stopped in front of a house near the very edge of the trees. Compared to the others it was smaller and the garden in front, which at one time may have been grand, was now overgrown with weeds and dying.

With a sad glance to the garden, Artemis walked to the door and knocked before letting himself in.

Inside it was dark. Any lights that could have been on weren't.

Artemis reached to the wall and turned on a light. He motioned for Winry to follow before walking down the hallway. In a few minutes he came to a door that he knocked lightly on.

"Who is it?" a man's voice growled from within.

"Artemis."

"Go away."

He smiled slightly to Winry before opening the door. The light flooded the room, but it was still dimly lit. He turned on another light, which resulted in a loud groan from a couch within the room. "John, I have a guest here to meet you."

"Like I care." A blanket was thrown back from the couch and a young man pushed himself up slightly. His green eyes studied the intruders to his home closely. "What do you want?"

"This is Ms. Rockbell. She's come here to help you."

"Help. I don't need any help." He turned to sit on the edge of the couch and the blanket fell away, revealing that both of his legs were gone. "Sorry that you were called, but I don't need your help."

"Is that so." Winry smiled slightly, but both Ed and Al knew better. "To bad for you that I have a job to do and you don't have a choice in the matter."

"What is that?"

"You're not the one paying me." She turned to Artemis. "When do you want the procedure done?"

"Anytime."

"See you tomorrow then," she said to John. "You might want to think about getting a good night's sleep."

"Damn you Artemis."

Artemis ignored him and led the three from the residence. Once outside he sighed heavily and closed the door.

"So where are we going to have the procedure done?" Winry asked immediately.

"The house you were just in."

She nodded. "So what happened to him."

"He was foolish."

"What do you mean?" Ed asked.

Artemis said nothing and kept walking towards the inn.

* * *

Ed was more then happy to eat his fill of the dinner their host had provided them. A nudge in his side made him look to Winry who was giving him a disapproving glare. "What?"

Seeing what was happening Artemis chuckled. "Eat as much as you want Edward. I'm glad you enjoy it."

He grinned and shot Winry an "I win" glance before returning to his meal.

Since he was unable to eat, Alphonse entertained himself by looking around the dining room. There were several paintings on the wall that appeared to have been created by a very skilled artist. After examining each painting in turn, he looked at two photographs that were on a side table next to the window.

The larger photograph was of a younger Artemis and a fair-haired woman. They were in wedding apparel and had laughter in their eyes. The second picture was of a lone woman. At first glance she appeared to be the woman in the first picture, but was much younger.

"Does something interest you?"

He jumped at Artemis's voice. "I'm sorry.'

"It's all right."

"The paintings are very beautiful."

"My daughter painted them." A sad smile appeared on his face.

"Were is she?"

"She passed away last year."

"I'm sorry."

Artemis waved his hand as if to brush the apology away. "Don't be."

"What about your wife?"

"She's been gone much longer."

Al looked away, ashamed by his questions.

Sensing the discomfort that had settled in the room, Artemis stood abruptly. "I think some desert is in order."


	3. A Father's Tale

**Disclaimer: FMA (anime/manga) is the property of Hiromu Arakawa. I hold no ownership or affiliation to it. The characters Artemis and John though are of my own creation.**

* * *

**A Father's Tale**

Winry opened her bag and smiled at the sight of her lovely tools. After a quick glance over them she grabbed one and started the sterilization process. She was on the steps that led up to the house where her new patient resided. In a few short minutes she would go inside and he would find himself with two mechanical legs. For now though she would enjoy the weather for a time. Eventually she stood and after making sure her bag was securely closed she entered the house.

* * *

The prospect to explore the town became far to tempting for them as their second day in the town started. Shortly after Winry left the two brothers escaped the inn after receiving some information from Artemis about places they might like to visit.

The moment that Artemis told them of the library Ed left in a greater hurry then he had intended. Though he knew that there was a slim chance that he would find anything concerning the Philosopher's Stone he still had to check. There was something about the town that caused his investigative spirit to burn with a new fire.

The library was actually a small house near the center of town. There was little that made up the collection beyond a few old books and historical documents. During the time that he spent looking through the books he learned of the history of different wars as well as the town itself.

"Brother."

He looked up, having almost forgotten that his brother was with him. "What is it Al?"

"This paper…" Unable to properly describe what it was that he had read Al handed the document to Ed.

Just looking at the paper he could tell that it was different from everything else that he read. As the words revealed their meaning to him his eyes grew steadily wider.

* * *

She shook her head at the sight of John's sorrowful state. Like every other man that she had come across with a tough outer shell he had crumpled into broken pieces with the surgery. With a sigh she wandered into the hallway in hopes of finding a blanket to cover her patient. Finding a door to her right she opened it and found herself in what she assumed to be John's bedroom. Everything about the room was neat as if the woman's touch that lacked presence in the living room had been focused here. She saw a blanket on the bed and picked it up. As she turned to leave the room she saw a picture on the bedside table. She paused for the briefest moment before exiting the room. John didn't move as she covered him with the blanket. With little else for her to do she packed her equipment into her bag before leaving. Since the door had been unlocked when she arrived she left the door as she had found it. Artemis was outside and she looked at him, unable to mask her surprise that he was here. "Mr. Sontor?"

He tore his eyes away from what had once been a beautiful garden. "How is he?"

"Unconscious." She walked down the steps to join him. "He should recover in a few weeks."

"That's good," he said absently. "Well if you're hungry I have lunch ready."

At the thought of food her stomach growled and her face quickly turned crimson. "That sounds great."

He chuckled and turned to lead the way back to the inn.

* * *

She sat down on the front porch, sipping a glass of water. Despite her attempts to assist Artemis with bringing out lunch he had refused her assistance stating that she was probably tired after performing the surgery. Afterwards he had shooed her outside while he set up the tray. Looking around she couldn't help but notice how similar this town was to Risembool. It was significantly smaller, but the rural homeliness was the same. Behind her she heard the door open. Turning around she saw her host carrying a tray of sandwiches. She moved to help, but he shook his head.

He set the tray down beside her before sitting down. "There we go."

Picking up one of the sandwiches she then bit into it thoughtfully. "I noticed that John's left arm was automail."

"Yes, he had an accident one year ago."

"Did he loose his legs then?"

Artemis shook his head. "No, that happened two months later."

She had finished her sandwich and she reached for a second one. "Who made his arm?"

"I'm afraid I don't know that. He left on his own and when he returned he had the arm." He took a sip of water and sat back in the chair. Closing his eyes, he relaxed in the ensuing silence.

"Mr. Sontor."

"Yes Winry?" He opened one of his eyes and looked at her.

"I saw a picture of your daughter in John's house," she said quietly.

His face settled into a grim expression. "He was her husband."

"So that's why you're helping him."

"Yes," he said after a moment.

"What was your daughter like?"

He smiled slightly at her question. "You're a very curious girl Winry."

"I'm sorry."

"It's quite all right." He folded his hands and sat in silence for several minutes. "She was special. She could look at anything and find beauty in it. That's why she painted. She wanted everyone to see the beauty of his world."

"She sounds like a wonderful person."

"She was."

Turning to him, she saw the peaceful expression on his face. "What was her name?"

"Her name?" He looked at her curiously. "I thought that I told you last night when Alphonse asked about her."

She shook her head. "No, you didn't."

"Huh, I thought I did." He chuckled before closing his eyes. "Her name was Kairi."

"Mr. Sontor."

He opened his eyes, laughing. "What is it Winry?"

She lowered her eyes to her lap. "I don't know how to ask you this."

"Go ahead and ask me whatever it is," he said with a hint of amusement.

"Well… You said that John lost his arm one year ago in an accident and last night you said that Kairi passed away one year ago. Was it the…"

"They were separate incidents."

She looked at him with an apologetic look. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have…" Artemis said nothing and she turned away.


	4. Too Good To Be True

**Disclaimer: FMA (anime/manga) is the property of Hiromu Arakawa. I hold no ownership or affiliation to it. The characters Artemis and John though are of my own creation.**

* * *

**Too Good To Be True**

Pain continued to assail every fiber of her being. It hurt her less now, but it remained a constant in her life now. The sound of birds chirping sounded louder than it actually was. She lay still, not wanting to move. Time passed and she eventually opened her eyes. She rolled onto her side and looked at the sparkling waters of the pond. Half of her face stared back at her rather than the mutilated form that she had expected to see. How long had it been since that night? She couldn't tell. Time no longer seemed to mean anything to her. Rolling onto her back again she stared up at the shifting leaves. A branch snapped and she sat up abruptly. There was movement to her left, but when she looked it was gone. She heard a splash and gasped when she was pulled backwards.

* * *

It was very tempting to beat John with her wrench, but she knew that she couldn't. Grumbling to herself she started to pack her bag.

John stood and started walking around. "You did pretty good for a woman," he said with a smirk.

She closed her eyes and ground her teeth. "Thank you," she said after a moment. Closing her bag she picked it up and started walking to the door. "If you need anything just tell Mr. Sontor and he'll contact me."

"I'm sure that won't be necessary."

"Just try not to break them," she muttered under her breath. "Goodbye," she called over her shoulder.

"Sure, bye." He followed her to the door and watched her as she walked down the steps and away from the house. Closing the door he started to walk down the hallway only to stop and look at his automail legs. He could now finish what he started.

_

* * *

_

That bastard, I can't believe that Artemis helped the guy.

She gripped the handles of her bag until her knuckles turned white. _At least it's over now._ Instead of returning immediately to the inn she followed the road to the library. Ed and Al had locked themselves away there. She knew that they had found something, but despite her constant questioning they remained silent. A smile pulled at the corners of her lips. They would be disappointed when she arrived.

* * *

Despite any further searching in the week that followed they found little beyond the paper that Al had shown him. There was a book though that they had found three days earlier. The days since then had been spent taking detailed notes.

"What are you reading?"

He slammed the book shut and he glared at Winry.

She smiled and patted his head in a playful manner. "I know, its nothing for me to worry about."

"What are you doing here?" Ed demanded.

"Whatever you found must be important." She attempted to see what was written on the paper, but both brothers hid them from her sight. Sighing, she nudged Ed's foot with her own. "I'm done here. It's time to go."

"But we can't."

She offered Al and apologetic look. "I need to go, but if you must stay then I'll just go home alone."

"We'll meet you at the inn."

"All right."

Al watched Winry as she left before turning to Ed when she was gone. "But what about what we found?"

"I'll take care of that." Picking up the book, he stood and walked to the desk where the librarian sat.

The librarian was an elderly woman and she smiled kindly at him. "What do you need dear?"

"I was wondering if I could buy this."

"This isn't a store. I'm afraid that it would be strange to allow someone to buy a book from the library."

"I understand. This book has information though that I've been looking for and I haven't found in the three years that I've been searching."

She studied him, her eyes searching his eyes. After a moment she nodded. "All right."

* * *

"I want to thank you for coming out here. John is difficult, but I'm glad that you helped him."

She smiled warmly. "It was no problem."

Artemis looked at the tree of them. "I hop you all enjoyed your stay."

"We did," Al said.

Winry looked at the bag that Artemis handed her.

"I thought that I would pack you some food for your return trip," he said when he saw the question in her eyes.

"Thank you." She glanced over her shoulder when she heard the train. "Well, it was very nice meeting you. Thank you for your hospitality."

He nodded and watched them as they boarded after the train had stopped. "Be safe." Ed raised his hand in recognition before he boarded and the train pulled away.

* * *

It was dark and she stared ahead, unable to discern her surroundings. The ground beneath her was hard and felt cool against her cheek. There was a sound like someone approaching and then silence.

"You're finally awake."

The voice was comforting and she felt the caress of someone touching her face. It suddenly became light and she closed her eyes against the burning sensation that it caused. When she opened her eyes again she saw the face before her. Sitting up, she crawled backwards and was forced to stop when her back pressed up against something smooth and hard.

"There's no need to be afraid."

She turned her head and saw that she had pressed herself against a wall. The woman moved and she turned back to her.

Stopping, she knelt down before her. "There's no need to be afraid," she repeated. "You're safe. You only have friends here." Reaching out, she brushed the strands of silver-blonde hair from the frightened woman's face.

There was a creaking sound and her eyes moved to the source, seeing a man that she had not noticed before.

"Has she spoken?" he asked.

"No." She stood and turned to face the man. "What would you like me to do Furor?"

"Nothing right now." His eyes moved to the woman's naked form before he turned around. "Get her some clothes," he said before opening the door again and leaving.

When he was gone she turned back to the woman. "Everything will be all right dear."

* * *

Ed chewed happily as he ate one of the sandwiches that Artemis had packed for them. He glanced at the paper bag on the other side of Winry, considering eating another one when he was finished with his first, but pushed the thought aside. When he was finished eating he looked at Winry and saw that she was asleep. Reaching into his bag he pulled out the book that he had bought from the librarian. It was too good to be true and yet their search could soon be over.

* * *

She was forced to help the woman as she put on the clothes that she had bought hours earlier. "There we go." She grasped her shoulders and turned her to face the mirror.

Her reflection was different then the one that she had seen in the pond. Stepping forward, she pressed her hand against the cold glass. There was no disfigurement.

"You look very beautiful."

"B-Beautiful?"

"Yes." She stepped up behind her and pulled the woman's hair from her face before moving it so that it fell over her shoulder. Her fingers brushed over the mark on the back of her neck. It was unbelievable and yet here was the proof before her eyes.


	5. Beautiful Stranger

**Disclaimer: FMA (anime/manga) is the property of Hiromu Arakawa. I hold no ownership or affiliation to it. The characters Artemis and John though are of my own creation.**

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* * *

**

Beautiful Stranger

The train's engine was loud, adding to the noise and chaos of the station.

"Are you sure that you want to go? You can stay with us for a few days or longer."

"It's all right Al," Winry said with a slight smile. "I have a lot of work to do." If Al had still possessed his body she knew that he would currently have a sad expression which would melt even the hardest heart, but the feeling was evident though the face was not. "I guess that I'll see you later."

"Yes," he said sadly.

"See you later Winry," Ed said.

She waved before boarding the train.

The remained on the platform until the shrill whistle and the train began to move. When it was gone from their sight they started to walk away.

"When we're done we can go back to Risembool for a visit."

_Done with what?_ He didn't voice his question though. They left the station and Al looked around at the familiar sights of Central. As he knew he would, Ed led the way to headquarters. It was a familiar route that did not take them long to walk, despite the crowds.

"Why don't you wait outside Al," Ed said as they neared headquarters.

"All right Brother." He stopped on the sidewalk and watched Ed as he walked to the building. When he had disappeared within the structure he turned away and started to walk again. There was no guarantee that Ed would be back in a short amount of time and he had no desire to sit down and wait. He soon found himself circling the block, his thoughts drifting. Normally he would find something to amuse himself, but this day he was bored.

Two… Three… Four… Five…

He was nearing his sixth lap. As he approached the front of headquarters again he glanced at the steps, a part of him hoping that he would see Ed there. To his own disappointment he did not see his brother standing on top of the steps. He started to look away again, but stopped when he saw a woman sitting on a bench.

* * *

She looked up when a shadow fell across her. There was a suit of armor before her.

"Kairi?"

"No, Selene."

"I'm sorry. I thought that… You looked familiar."

She smiled slightly. "I'm sorry to disappoint you."

"No! I mean… I should be the one apologizing." He held out a hand to her. "I'm Alphonse Elric."

"It's very nice to meet you," Selene said, taking his hand and shaking it for a brief moment before releasing it. "There's no reason for you to apologize Alphonse. It was a simple mistake."

"I suppose that you're right. So… What are you doing here?" She frowned and he raised his hands in defense. "I'm sorry. I'm being intrusive."

"No, it's all right. I'm just waiting for someone." She brushed several strands of silver-blonde hair behind her ear. "What are you doing here?" she asked hesitantly.

"Oh, my brother's the Full Metal Alchemist and I'm just waiting for him to finish talking with Colonel Mustang." Se nodded and lowered her eyes. He looked at her, unable to believe that this woman was not Artemis's daughter. She looked the same as the woman in the picture. The same hair, the same eyes, the same beauty.

"You're staring," she said, looking at him again.

"I-I'm sorry. It's just that…"

"I look familiar."

"Yes."

"Al!"

He looked towards the steps when he heard Ed's voice. "Brother."

She stood slowly and brushed her skirt off. Glancing in the direction that the one she assumed to be Full Metal came, she turned away before walking towards the street.

Al turned to where Selene had been standing only to find that she was gone. Looking around he could see no trace of her.

"Who were you talking to?"

"Selene," he said, turning back to his brother. "I think that it was Kairi though." Ed gave him a confused look so he continued. "Winry told me that Mr. Sontor's daughter's name was Kairi and she looked just like her.

"That's impossible Al."

"Not if…"

"Al, I'm pretty sure that there weren't any alchemists in the village or that they would be stupid enough to perform a Human Transmutation if there were."

"But Mr. Sontor…"

"He wasn't an alchemist Al. Trust me, we would have known if he was."

From Ed's tone he suspected that he no longer wished to discuss the matter. "How did the meeting with the colonel go?" He received a look that made him visibly flinch.

"I'm not in the mood to talk about it."

"What do you want to do then?" he asked, changing the subject for the second time.

Ed shrugged and shoved his hands into his pockets. Without a word he started to walk to the street.

* * *

She was still uncomfortable. Her awkward meeting with Alphonse Elric was still fresh in her mind. Standing in an alley she watched the headquarters from across the street. She crossed her arms and leaned against the wall. They had told her that she would eventually come into contact with them, but she did not think that it would happen so soon. They walked away from the building and down the street. She followed them with her eyes until they were gone from her sight. Sighing she lowered her eyes and turned away from the street, walking into the depths of the alley. Her lips turned downward into a slight frown.

* * *

They ended up stopping at a restaurant. From the other side of the table Al watched his brother eat a late lunch. It was obvious that Ed was in a foul mood and he could only hope that he didn't make himself sick. "Brother…"

"What Al?"

"Never mind."

Ed looked at him before shaking his head. "Are you still thinking about…"

"Selene."

He nodded and gave him a scrutinizing look. "Al, she was just someone who looked similar to Artemis's daughter. Don't think too much about it. You don't want to get into trouble."

"I know." He knew that he was right, but he couldn't help but shake the image of the stranger Selene. A part of him wanted to contact Artemis and tell him about Selene, but Ed was right. She could very well be someone who had a similar appearance and this caused him to hesitate. He had no desire to cause any trouble. Still though, he couldn't help but wonder.


	6. Anniversary

******Disclaimer: FMA (anime/manga) is the property of Hiromu Arakawa. I hold no ownership or affiliation to it. The characters Artemis, John, and Selene though are of my own creation.**

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* * *

**

Anniversary

Artemis stood on the porch of his house. His gaze settled on the street and then on each of the few surrounding houses. It was quiet and he could see very few people outside. The lack of activity was not a rare sight anymore. The town, except for rare instances, remained forgotten by the rest of the world. He stretched his arms above his head before rolling his shoulders and then walking down the front porch steps. The sound of a door swinging closed drew his attention to the other side of the street. The elderly widow, who lived in the opposing house, waved and he returned the greeting. Walking across the street, he stopped before the porch steps. "Good afternoon Widow Runo."

"Hello Artemis." She smiled, revealing several missing teeth. "It's been a while since we spoke."

"Well, you know that only a busy schedule will keep me from speaking with you."

"Don't flirt with me. My word."

He chuckled and rested his arm on the railing. "I'll try to remember that in the future."

"Be sure that you do." She moved slowly to a nearby chair before sitting down. Sighing heavily, she leaned back and closed her eyes. For several minutes it was silent except for the sound of the surrounding nature. She opened her eyes and looked up at the sky. "It's a beautiful day."

"It is," he said, turning away from her to look at the sky.

"Have you gone to see Kairi yet?"

He visibly tensed. "No," he said, sadness entering his voice.

"I can't believe that it's been a year all ready."

"One year too long." He took a step back from the porch and ruffled his hair with his hand. "I should get going."

"Have a good afternoon Artemis."

He smiled, but said nothing. Giving her a slight wave, he started to walk away. She didn't seem to notice him leave and he caught the distant look in her eyes. He wasn't concerned though, suspecting that she had all ready forgotten about him. Crossing the street he returned to the house. Rather then entering through the front door, he walked around to the back. Along the back wall of the house grew several rose bushes. He stopped and gazed at them with a smile. His beloved wife had planted them. He could picture as clear as day those days when his wife, Kairi, and himself would tend to the flowers. Those were good days, even after his wife had died he and Kairi would spend their days gardening. That was all gone now. He felt tears trailing down his face and quickly wiped it away. "Get a hold of yourself Artemis. There's no sense in crying over good times."

* * *

The sky was darker when Artemis left his house. In his arms he carried five of the roses from the beloved bushes. As he walked he felt strangely calm. He had expected that, like on the anniversary of his wife's death, the anniversary of his daughter's death would be bittersweet. However, he felt the same calmness that he felt the day that he had first learned of her death. The cemetery appeared before him as he neared the edge of the back of town. The white stone headstones seemed to glow in the fading light. He easily found her grave, her headstone standing beside that of her mother. "Hello dear," he greeted the older tombstone before setting one of the five roses on the ground in which his wife was buried. Kneeling then down before his daughter's grave, he set the remaining four roses down before the stone. His gaze settled on the words that were carved into it.

Kairi Sontor

Beloved Daughter and Wife

May she rest peacefully for eternity.

Kissing his palm, he reached out and touched the stone with his hand. "You were too young my dear." _I will be with you soon. Both of you._ He knew that they would have both chastised him for thinking such thoughts, but it could not be helped. The truth could not be helped.

"I didn't think that you would be here."

He narrowed his eyes, glaring at the ground. "What are you doing here?"

"She was my wife, old man." John crossed his arms and smirking slightly. "You can't keep me from visiting her."

Artemis rose slowly. Kissing his palm again, he pressed his hand to his wife's tombstone before turning to face his son-in-law. "You're the one who put her here John."

"You still think that I killed her." He chuckled, looking thoroughly amused. "I'm not the one who made her slip in the shower. She was just clumsy."

An intense rage filled him, the same rage that he had felt when the town doctor had told him how she had died. He held his tongue though, forcing himself as he had on that terrible night to no speak.

John looked past him at Kairi's headstone. The corners of his mouth twitched. "Love you sweet heart. I'll see you again when I'm not being accused." He met Artemis's gaze before turning and walking out of the cemetery.

He released a slow breath. At his sides his hands unclenched. Turning his back on John, he looked again at the headstone. _Why didn't you tell me Kairi?_ He could still remember the image of her lying on the table, her body cold, her face covered in bruises. The story of her death had been false; he knew it the second that he had heard the news of her accidental fall. That time before her marriage and her death had revealed that. She had started wearing long sleeves, covering her body on even the hottest of days. Lies passed her lips and her new life had become a secret. _If only you had said something Kairi. Maybe this wouldn't have happened._


	7. Identity

******Disclaimer: FMA (anime/manga) is the property of Hiromu Arakawa. I hold no ownership or affiliation to it. The characters Artemis, John, and Selene though are of my own creation.**

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Identity

The apartment door slammed close behind her. Not bothering to turn on the lights, Selene crossed the main room before walking through the open door into the bedroom. Lying down on the bed, she stared at the ceiling. _Alphonse and Edward Elric._ She twisted some of her silver-blonde hair around her finger. _This should be an interesting endeavor, whatever it is._ She was feeling anxious and could only wait for the instructions that were to be given to her following her encounter with the Elric Brothers. Turning her head, she looked at the open bedroom door. She half-expected to hear the apartment door open, but knew that it would be several more hours before it did.

* * *

Doing nothing. It was something that she was quite good at. Ever since she had woken up in the forest there had been very little for her to do except to survive. That had not been too difficult. Staring up at the ceiling, she continued to wait. There was nothing for her to do. She thought to leave and explore the city some more, but she had done enough of that. There was the sound of the door opening and she sat up. The woman, who called herself Sloth, appeared.

"Hello."

"Hello." She lowered her gaze.

"Have you done anything today?"

"No."

"I see. That is quite alright."

Her kind voice caused her to lift her gaze so that she was looking at Sloth again. There was a faint smile on her lips. "Did... What are my orders?"

"Orders? There are none yet I'm afraid."

She nodded slightly.

"Do not worry. There will be something for you to do in a few days. You will not have much longer to wait."

Another nod. Her gaze lowered in favor of staring at the floor. There were no orders. What was her purpose then? Sloth had said that she had a purpose, but she had yet to learn what it was. There was the soft sound of the other woman's footsteps on the floor. She looked at her, when she knelt down in front of her.

"Do not be like that," she said, holding the other woman's chin in her hand. She smiled kindly at her. "I have a surprise for you."

"A surprise?"

"Yes. You will be meeting two more of our family today."

* * *

Selene had been the name that the woman known as Sloth had given her. The name did not seem to belong to her, but she had no name to speak of so who was she to reject it? As she walked down the halls of the building that had been explained to be headquarters, she tried to ignore the stares that were cast in her direction.

"Ignore them."

Nodding in understanding, she continued walking. Her gaze remained trained forward. The woman knocked on a door and a moment later, the word _Enter_ was uttered from door was opened and after a questioning glance to Sloth, she entered. The sound of the door closing behind her was loud, too much like a gunshot.

"Hello, you must be Selene."

Her gaze turned to the man who was sitting behind a large desk. She had not noticed him when she had first entered. "Y-Yes."

"It is nice to meet you, Selene." He rose from behind the desk and walk towards the pair. "I am Pride. To those outside this room I am known as Furor and my name is King Bradley. You will refer to me as such when we are not alone. Do you understand, Selene?"

He kept using her name. It seemed as though each time that he spoke it, it belonged to her and she felt as though she was in fact Selene. "I understand."

"Good."

His back was turned to her and she found herself wishing to see his face again. He had a kind face.

"You will be coming here often, Selene. As such, it is necessary for you to be known as someone else."

"Someone else? I-I will not be Selene?"

He looked at her again, a smile on his lips. "You will keep that name. Think of it as a title that you will use to see me."

She nodded again. "I understand."

* * *

Niece. The word was strange like Selene had been and like her other name was. He had given her the second name too. Both that name and her title had not been used since that day and as such she did not feel as though she were them. Pride had said that she was though. He and Sloth were her family. She was his niece only though, which made her wonder what she was to Sloth.

"We will be there soon."

She nodded in understanding. Glancing around, she studied the faces of those others on the street. Their features were different, but they looked the same as well. Sloth had explained to her, when he had first come to the city, that these people were not like them. She had not said how though, which had formed many questions that she had yet to ask.

"Selene."

They had stopped in front of a tall building. Glancing around, she saw that it all appeared to be run down, shamble-like. She did not recognize this part of the city. There were fewer people outside.

"Come."

A final glance around before she followed Sloth into the building. There was a sour smell in the air and she scrunched her nose.

"Well not be here long," she said, amusement in her voice.

They climbed the stairs and she felt uncomfortable, feeling as though the wood would break beneath her feet. It did not though. They reached the fourth floor and she followed Sloth to a door farther down the hall. The door was opened and after being given the direction to do so, she entered. The rooms were empty save for a few small pieces of furniture. Light filtered in through the blinds. There was a man sitting by the window. Her gaze moved to the corner of the room where she heard something move. There was a bulky form.

"What have you brought us?"

"Lust."

"Lust." The voice from the corner sounded hopeful, but there was a hunger within it.

"My name is Selene," she said. Her gaze left the form in the corner to look at the man when he moved.

"That's not your name. It is an alias for the world to know you by."

He was walking towards her and she took a step back when he was only a few short feet away.

"Skittish, isn't she, Sloth. Why did you bring her here?"

"I thought that it would be best for her to meet you both."

A smile crept onto his lips.


	8. Test Run

******Disclaimer: FMA (anime/manga) is the property of Hiromu Arakawa. I hold no ownership or affiliation to it. The characters Artemis, John, and Selene though are of my own creation.**

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Test Run

Too quickly she had been taken away from the apartment. It seemed, to her, that Sloth had not wanted her to remain there any longer than necessary. It was curious. This entire situation was. However, she did not question the woman about the pair. It seemed as though doing such a thing would be inappropriate later, maybe.

* * *

She sat in the window of the office, staring down at the Elric Brothers. The two were sparing. Their movements were graceful and almost like a dance. She tilted her head to the side, becoming more absorbed in what was occurring when they started to use alchemy. There was something familiar about the sight.

_Seven gun shots._

_Searing pain._

_Blood dripping to the floor._

"Selene."

She blinked. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw that there were three soldiers in the room now.

"Come here please."

Nodding, she walked to Pride's side. He placed a hand on her shoulder and she could not help but notice that it was warm.

"This is my niece, Selene. Selene, this is Major Armstrong, Lieutenant Hawkeye, and Colonel Mustang."

The names had been told to her before. She studied each of their faces in turn, memorizing them. "It is nice to meet you," she said quietly.

"The pleasure is mine," Alex said.

"I was not aware that you had a niece, Furor," Roy said.

"Now you are aware of that fact." He glanced at her before looking at the three again. "My niece was ill for many years. Central seems to be giving some life back to her so I think that she would enjoy going outside."

"Yes," she said with a smile.

"Perhaps you would be willing to show her the city, Major Armstrong."

"It would be my honor."

"Do you have time now?"

"Yes, I do, sir."

He smiled. "Do not over exert yourself, Selene," he said before releasing her shoulder. "Thank you. Take care of her."

"Of course, sir."

She took the hint and left the office with Armstrong. Her gaze remained forward as they walked through the building. For one reason or another she didn't like it in here, not even Pride's office. When they were outside, she took a breath of air. Her gaze turned to the general direction where the Elric Brothers had been training. She could hear them despite the noise of the city.

"Miss-"

"You may call me Selene, Major Armstrong."

"Selene," he quickly corrected. "Is there any place in the city that you would like to see?"

"No." She looked at him and smiled faintly. "I will trust our instincts, Major Armstrong"

"Alex."

She nodded. "Alex."

* * *

The city, she knew it fairly well now. Armstrong guiding her through the city was unnecessary. Still, he was good company. "My uncle said that you are known as the Iron Fist Alchemist."

"Yes, that would be correct. The alchemy has been passed down through the generations of my family."

"That is a nice thing. Hopefully, it will continue to exist in this world."

"That is kind of you to wish that."

She said nothing more. Glancing around, she noticed familiar shabby looking buildings.

"I would not go there, Selene. It is not safe."

"I will not," she said quietly.

"Very good."

Almost, it seemed as though he had read her mind. Such a thing was impossible though. It was far more likely that he had seen the curiosity on her expression. The street was left behind them, but was not forgotten.

"How long were you ill, if you do not mind me asking."

"I do not." She was quiet for a moment. "I have been sick since I was born."

"I am glad that your health is improving."

"As am I."

He glanced up at the sky. "We should be returning to headquarters."

"Yes... I suppose that we should."

* * *

Bradley raised his gaze when there was a knock on the door. "Come on." He smiled when he saw Selene and Major Armstrong. "Welcome back. Did you enjoy yourself, Selene?"

"Yes, uncle."

"I appreciate what you have done for me, Major Armstrong."

"It was no trouble, sir."

He smiled. "Perhaps you would be willing to do so again tomorrow."

"It would be my honor."

"Thank you, Major. You are excused."

"Sir." He saluted before leaving the office.

When the door was closed, he turned to look at her.

"Do you want me to manipulate him?"

"You are quick, Lust."

"Why?"

"You will figure it out."

When his back was turned to her, she frowned. Walking to the window, she looked outside. The sky was dark now.

* * *

The smell was that of something rotting. She stared at the building, studying it. Should she go in? Sloth would not like it. Did that really matter to her? After several more minutes she started to walk away from the window.

From one of the upper windows, hole spotted curtains fell closed.


	9. The First Step

**********Disclaimer: FMA (anime/manga) is the property of Hiromu Arakawa. I hold no ownership or affiliation to it. The characters Artemis, John, and Selene though are of my own creation.**

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The First Step

It was calm, relaxed. She watched those that walked past her. Briefly, she would glance at the faces and know them before they were forgotten when the individuals were gone from her sight. They were truly insignificant.

"Selene."

She looked at Alex. For a moment, she had forgotten that he was here.

"How are you enjoying the city?"

"It is nice." She turned slightly so that she was facing him. Reaching over, she took his hand. "Are you busy tonight, Alex?"

"No, I am not."

"Would you have dinner with me?"

"Of course. It would be my pleasure."

Surprise had flickered briefly across his expression before his usual demeanor had returned. She had caught him off guard. That was good. She squeezed his hand in a fond gesture before releasing the appendage and sitting back. "There is a restaurant near headquarters that my uncle said opened recently. Would you care to go there?"

"Where ever you would like to go is fine," he said.

A small smile pulled at the corners of her lips. "Would six o'clock work for you?"

"That would be fine."

* * *

She studied her reflection, her head tilted to the side in an almost curious manner.

"You look nice."

Her gaze moved to Sloth's reflection, not bothering to turn to face the woman.

"Are you almost ready?"

"Yes." She watched Sloth leave, the door closing quietly behind her. A frown darkened her features when she heard the parting words.

"Do not be late."

* * *

"We shouldn't have gone out."

"Brother, you need a break."

"I've gone longer without-" He winced when he was struck in the back of the head.

"Don't argue. Winry said that I need to keep a closer eye on you."

"Why'd she say that?" When Al neglected to answer, Ed frowned to himself. "So where are we going?" he asked, changing the subject.

"To get you some food."

"That doesn't answer my question," he muttered.

Al chuckled to himself. Ed was irritable, but he had become used to it. His brother tended to be like that after not eating for three or four days. Of course, their research in the library had yet to have any results contributed greatly to Ed's current mood. Putting a hand on his brother's shoulder, he led him down the street.

"We're going right back to the library once we get the food."

"We'll go back after you've eaten."

He heard Ed grumble, but wouldn't understand what it was that he said. Shaking his head, he glanced to the sidewalk on the opposite side of the street. "Isn't that the major?"

Ed glanced to where Al looked. "Yeah, it is."

"Major Armstrong."

He flinched, the prospect of food sounding much better right now. "Al-"

Armstrong glanced in their direction. Having garnered his attention, Al crossed the street to where the major stood.

Ed lingered for a moment before begrudgingly following after his brother.

"Hello, Elric Brothers. What are you doing out here?"

"Getting some dinner," Ed answered.

"Are you you doing here, Major?"

"I received an invitation for dinner."

"Really? From who?"

The Furor's niece, Miss Selene."

Ed quirked a brow. The Furor had a niece. That certainly was news to him.

The name Selene sounded familiar. He couldn't place where he had heard it before though, nor picture the face that it belonged to.

"Well, we'll leave you to your business, Major. Come on, Al."

"Oh." He glanced to where Ed was walking before looking at Armstrong. "Good night, Major," he said hastily before hurrying after Ed.

"You know the Elric Brothers?"

Alex glanced at Selene, who stood at his side. "Yes."

She nodded. For a moment, she stared after the duo before looking at Alex. "Are you ready?"

He didn't answer immediately, distracted for a moment by the black dress that she wore.

"Alex?"

"Yes." He cleared his throat. "Forgive me. You look lovely."

"Thank you."

Tearing his gaze from her, he opened the door to the restaurant. When she had entered, he followed her inside.

* * *

The night was cool. Folding her arms, she walked slowly down the street beside Alex.

"Thank you for the dinner."

"You're welcome. It was the least that I could do. You have been so kind to me."

"Next time, perhaps, you would allow me to pay."

"You wish to have dinner with me again?" She glanced at him, not moving the red color that darkened his face.

"Yes," he said after clearing his throat.

"I suppose that I could allow that."

He glanced at her. There was a smile on her lips. She appeared to be happy. "Would you e available on Wednesday?"

"Yes."

"Would you like to have dinner then?"

"Yes." This seemed very much like a game. In a way, she supposed, it was. It was an amusing thought. She paused when they reached the gates to the Furor's house. When the gates opened, she followed the driveway to the front door.

He walked with her after a brief moment of hesitation. The guards made no move to stop him.

She stopped at the front steps. "Thank you for walking me home."

"It was no trouble."

"Good night," she said quietly, offering him a smile.

"Good night, Selene." He waited until she was safely inside the house before starting to walk down the driveway.

From the window, she watched the gates close behind him as Alex left the grounds. Letting the curtains fall close, she then walked to the staircase.

"You're back."

She paused and glanced at Pride's wife.

"Did you enjoy yourself?"

"Yes."

"Wonderful. Good night, Selene."

"Good night," she whispered. With the weight of the woman's gaze on her, she ascended the staircase.


	10. Daily Life

**********Disclaimer: FMA (anime/manga) is the property of Hiromu Arakawa. I hold no ownership or affiliation to it. The characters Artemis, John, and Selene though are of my own creation.**

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Daily Life

The day was hot, the sun beating down. It was uncomfortable. She found herself wishing for the cool air of the forest that she had once lived in. It had not been too warm there. There had been comfort, security in that place. Even that town had possessed the same aura. Unlike the city it was quiet and not teeming with people. There had been danger there though, that memory was growing faint.

"Lust."

Her name, softly spoken, caused her to open her eyes. Moving away from the window, that she had been leaning against, she turned her head to look at Pride.

"Do you intend to stay here?"

"What would you have me do?" He didn't answer her, but she saw what appeared to be amusement in his eyes.

"Darling."

She shifted her gaze to the front lawn when his wife entered the room. From where they stood, she heard a soft exchange of words. False sentiments passed Pride's lips. There was something familiar about it.

"I will be home as early as I can."

"Have a nice day."

Turning her head, she watched Pride kneel down to embrace his son before leaving.

"Selene."

She returned his hug when the boy turned his attention onto her. He was smiling. It had been easy for him to accept her as his cousin when Pride had first taken her home with him.

"Will you help me with the shopping today?"

"Yes," she answered quietly in response to the woman's question.

"Thank you."

"Get your bag for school."

"Yes, mother."

* * *

Was this what he had wanted her to do? It was possible. She was to learn. She was to watch.

"Thank you again for coming with me, Selene."

"It was no trouble," she said, glancing at the woman beside her.

"That is good."

Humans were odd. They seemed to like speech a lot. It was not necessarily a bad thing, but there was so much of that noise in Central. It grew tiring after a time. Pride's wife had stopped and she stopped with her. As the woman picked through a fruit stand, she allowed her gaze to wander.

"Selene."

"Hm?"

"Are you bored?"

"No." The lie passed easily from her lips and was just as easily accepted.

"Let me know if you are."

"I will." As she turned her head back to the fruit stand, a man drew her attention for a brief moment.

* * *

The bag in her hand was full. It was heavy, but not too much so. She waited for Pride's wife as she finished the last of her shopping.

"Hello."

Her gaze turned to the man. The face was that of Colonel Mustang. "Do you normally stalk?" she questioned, neglecting to return the greeting.

"Only when it is necessary."

"What is the necessity now?"

His lips tilted up in an amused smile.

"There will be trouble if Pride learns that you were here, Envy."

"I'm not worried about that."

She looked away, watching the other people who walked the street. "His eyes are black."

"I know."

When she looked at him again, the formerly brown irises had turned black.

"Better?"

"I suppose." She preferred Envy's true face. He appeared to be too normal like this.

"We will speak another time."

The sound of the door opening drew her attention. When she looked back to where Envy had been, he was gone.

"Well, I'm done. Are you hungry for lunch?"

"A little."

"Let us head back to the house then."

She nodded and trailed behind as they made their way back to him. As they passed an alley, she glanced into the darkened recesses.

"Lust."

The name came out as a pitiful whine. She turned her gaze forward and continued walking.

"Lust."

* * *

From the kitchen drifted the sound of pleasant humming. It was nice in a way. Reclining on one of the couches, Selene flipped absently through a book. There was a sudden clattering sound and she started. Glancing towards the kitchen, she wondered briefly about what might have happened. That curiosity vanished when the humming resumed. Her gaze returned to the book.

"Selene, lunch."

Setting the book aside, she rose and walked to the dining room. There were two plates on the table with a bowl of salad between them. She hesitated for the briefest moment before sitting down.

"I thought that something simple would be nice," she said as she set a small bowl of fruit down on the table.

"Thank you."

"Help yourself."

She did as she was told and put some of the food on the plate before her. After glancing at Pride's wife, she started to eat. The food was flavorless and did nothing to sate her intense hunger. How did Pride manage this day after day?

"You're not eating much. Are you feeling alright, Selene?"

"No... Not really."

"Why don't you go lie down then?"

"Are you certain?" Her answer was a kind smile. Excusing herself, she left the table. As she passed the front door, she was tempted to leave the house. Pride's wife would notice though, and questions would be asked that she would not answer. Ascending the stairs, she went to the room that had been given to her. The door was locked behind her. The mattress shifted as she laid down. At the moment, she wished to be at headquarters. At least there she did not have to deal with this. Pride had made it very clear though, that she was to remain here.

* * *

The clock in her room read ten minutes pass eleven. Downstairs, she could hear Pride's return and the greetings from both his wife and son. A few minutes later, she heard his son running up the stairs and then down the hall. Further down the hall, a door slammed closed. It was the same routine every night. Did it bore Pride? He seemed as though he enjoyed this. How though? She couldn't think of an answer to that question. The sound of quiet knocks on the door prompted her to answer it. "Uncle."

"I was told that you were not feeling well, Selene. Is everything alright?"

The question held double meaning. She started to answer only to stop when she saw his wife behind his shoulder. "Yes."

"I will see you in the morning then."

"Sleep well."

"Good night," she said quietly to them both. Closing the door, she returned to the bed. In the darkness of the room her eyes remained open.


	11. Coincidence

**************Disclaimer: FMA (anime/manga) is the property of Hiromu Arakawa. I hold no ownership or affiliation to it. The characters Artemis, John, and Selene though are of my own creation.**

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Coincidence

Alex had changed from his uniform. The blue fabric had been replaced by a brown suit with a white shirt and a brown tie. He looked different. Her gaze moved to the flower that he offered her. "Thank you," she said, taking it. It was a sweet gesture.

"Are you ready to go?"

"Yes." She closed the door behind her as she left. From within, she heard Pride's son say something, but could not understand what the words were. The house was left behind them and once they were through the gates, she noticed that he slowed down. It seemed that he was more comfortable away from the shadow of the Furor. "Did you have a nice day?"

"Yes. It was... busy."

She looked at him from the corner of her eye when she heard the hesitation. "Nothing too stressful I hope."

"Stress is a part of the job. It is nothing that I cannot handle."

"That is good. I am glad that you have been busy."

"What of you?"

"I have not done much. I have just been helping my aunt."

"That is kind of you."

"It is the least that I could do since she and Uncle allowed me to live with them."

"The Furor and his wife are both kind and honorable individuals."

His sudden enthusiasm caused her to glance at him. Was this why Pride had chosen him?

* * *

The warmth of his coat enclosed her when he wrapped it around her shoulders. "Thank you," she said, pulling it closer around her. There was no need for it. The coolness of the night did not affect her. He did not know that though. "Dinner was nice."

"I'm glad that you enjoyed it."

She smiled. As they started to walk down the street, she felt the end of his jacket brushing against the back of her knees. She turned her head enough to look at the man beside her. He had left a comfortable amount of space between them. His hands were at his sides and his gaze was forward. It was almost as if she was not here. He looked at her and she quickly looked away with a quiet apology.

"It is alright."

There was silence between them. It was heavy . She wondered what he was thinking. Her expression gave no clue to his thoughts though. There was the sound of footsteps behind her. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw that there were two soldiers following them.

"Major Armstrong."

They both stopped. When the two neared them, she studied the male and the female.

"Sir, you are needed at headquarters."

Alex nodded to Ross before looking at Selene. "I apologize, but I will have to leave you. I will have-"

"That is not necessary. I am not far from home."

"Are you certain?"

She smiled. "I will be alright, Alex. You have no need to worry."

"That cannot be helped." He took her hand and, bowing slightly, pressed his lips to the back of her hand.

Her face warmed and she shyly took her hand back when he released the appendage.

"Be safe."

"I will," she said quietly.

"Good night, Selene."

She watched him walk away, the two soldiers trailing behind him. The male glanced back at her before quickly looking forward again.

* * *

"Stupid, Colonel."

Al glanced at Ed when he heard the muttered words. He debated whether or not he should say something. Seeing his irritated expression, he decided that it was best to keep silent.

"Where does he get off?"

"You do have to report to him."

"I know!"

He chuckled and pushed open of of the doors that led outside. There was a quiet squeak of surprise when a body collided with his. "O-Oh, I'm sorry. Are you alright?"

"Yes"

The female face that peered up at him was familiar. "Selene?"

"Hello again, Alphonse." She offered him a smile before walking past him.

"Brother?"

"Yeah, I saw. It is just a coincidence," Ed said as he stepped outside.

The door slammed shut behind him as he followed Ed. "But what if it isn't? Scar-"

"Al."

The sharpness of his tone quieted anything more that he thought to say.

"Not here, Al."

* * *

At first he thought that he had imagined the soft knocking at the door. When it sounded again though, Bross glanced at Ross. The brunette made no move to answer it, apparently absorbed in her paperwork. With a heavy sigh Bross rose and opened the door.

"Hello. I'm looking for Major Armstrong."

Bross stared at the young woman, recognizing her from the previous night. "The Major isn't here right now. Would you like to leave a message?"

"No... That isn't necessary. I only came to return his jacket to him."

"You can leave it with one if you'd like. I can make sure that the Major gets it." The woman appeared hesitant for a moment before handing the brown jacket over to him.

"Thank you."

"Uh... Wait."

She paused in her exit.

"Would you like me to tell the Major that you came by?"

"If you wish to."

"What is your name?"

"Selene."

"I'll tell him that you were here."

She nodded before walking down the hall.

Bross looked at the folded jacket in his hands before looking to where she had been. Shaking his head, he closed the door. After setting the jacket down on the Major's desk, he slumped down in his chair.

"Who was that?" Ross asked, glancing at her companion.

"Selene, the woman from last night," he quickly elaborated.

"The one that the Major was with?"

"Yeah... I think that she's his girlfriend or something like that."

She arched an eyebrow. "You shouldn't draw conclusions."

"I think that it is a good thing."

"I never said that it wasn't."

"So you admit-"

They both froze when they heard the door knob turn. Looking at the door, they quickly returned to their work when they saw it opening.

Alex glanced at the two. "You're doing an excellent job," he said when he saw how much effort that they were currently putting into their work.

"Thank you, Sir," they answered in unison.

"You had a visitor," Bross said.

"Was a message left?"

"No."

Alex looked at his desk. Seeing his jacket, he walked over to it. Lightly, he touched the fabric with his fingers. "Selene was here," he said more to himself than to the other two.

"She said that was her name."

He glanced at him before nodding.

"Major Armstrong, who-"

"I believe that you have work that you need to finish."

"Yes, Sir."

* * *

It crossed her mind to go to Pride, but she quickly discarded the thought. She wasn't in much mood to speak to him or to Sloth at the moment. Stepping outside, she glanced up at the sun. It was bright, warm. Walking slowly away from headquarters, she made her way towards the edge of the city. A familiar building appeared to her left and she entered it.

"I was just on my way out to find you."

She looked at the landing above her. Envy stood there, looking at her with some interest. "You said that we would speak later."

"I did." He turned and started to walk up the stairs. "Are you coming?" When she started to follow him, he continued to the apartment. Pushing the door open, he left her to close it.

* * *

"Edward, you saw-"

"It was just a coincidence."

"But she looked just like-"

"I know."

"How can you say that it was just a coincidence then?"

"Because she just looked like Kairi. There is nothing else to it."

"What if-"

"Al!" He frowned and shook his head. "Don't write Mister Sontor."

"But-"

"We don't know anything yet, Al."

After a few minutes, he nodded his understanding. "Alright, Ed."


	12. Start the Game

**************Disclaimer: FMA (anime/manga) is the property of Hiromu Arakawa. I hold no ownership or affiliation to it. The characters Artemis, John, and Selene though are of my own creation.**

**

* * *

**

**Start the Game**

The stones were crimson in color. There was something about them that was desirable.

"You don't want them?"

She looked at Envy. He appeared to be amused by her hesitation.

"They won't hurt you."

Taking them from him, she studied the stones. What were they? He hadn't told her. He had only offered them to her and had said that they were good to eat.

"I'm not trying to poison you."

"How can I be certain?"

"Even if I was, it wouldn't kill you."

She frowned and offered the stones back to him.

"Keep them. You might change your mind."

Tucking them away within her pocket, she made a move to leave. The sound of her other name though gave her pause. She looked at the corner of the room.

"Lust."

The whine was pitiful. Gluttony, as Envy called him, reached out to her. She stared at the massive hand, but made no move to grasp it. When he seemed to realize that she had no intention of coming any closer she saw him turn and hunker down. His form remained hidden in the shadows. He always did that. Gluttony never showed his face to her.

"You're very cruel."

She looked at Envy. "How so?"

"He missed you. The least that you could do is take his hand."

"I never knew him before now."

"The other Lust did."

"You should find her then. I am not she." She moved to the door.

"Lust!"

The cry gave her pause. There was hunger in the voice and she felt a strange clenching sensation in her chest. She fled.

* * *

On the streets she felt safer. She wasn't certain why Gluttony's final call for her had invoked such a reaction from her. It had been strange. The feeling had almost been overwhelming. What was it? There had been something familiar about it.

_"Get over here!"_

_"What-"_

_"I said come over here! You're worthless! You don't even know how to listen! Are you deaf?"_

_"Please, don't-"_

_"I said come here! Now!_

Reaching out, she managed to catch herself before she fell. She leaned against the wall. Holding a hand to her chest she breathed heavily. _What was that? Where did that come from?_ She waited until the strange feeling had passed before she moved away from the wall. Fear. That was the name of the feeling. It was terrible.

* * *

"Selene!"

She flinched. The enthusiasm was over-exaggerated. Turning, she saw Pride's son run into the library. He came to a stop before her chair.

"Is this what you've been doing all day?"

Her gaze moved to the book that she had been reading. "Yes." Her answer was mostly true. Thought, it mattered little if she lied to him or not.

"You need to get out of the house. Father said that you finished your studies."

"One can never read enough."

"Yeah."

At least he agreed with her. She wouldn't have known what to think based on all of the studying that he did. Then again, he was a child. From what she had seen so far children much preferred to be outside and play games. Shaking her head, she intended to start reading again. However, he was staring at her. "Did you need something?"

"We should go for a walk."

"You do not have homework?"

"Mother said that I could take a break since I've been working so hard."

Humans were persistent. This boy was especially so. She doubted that she would be able to escape this. "Alright." Marking her page, she then set her book down on her seat. The moment that she was standing her hand was grabbed and she found herself being dragged form the house.

"Mother, Selene and I are going for a walk!"

"Be home by five!"

"We will!"

* * *

When he had said that he wanted to go for a walk she had thought that they would stay on the grounds or that they would go to the park. Instead, she had been led to the heart of Central.

"I want to visit Father."

"Uncle may be busy."

"He always is."

"Then we should not disturb him."

"We won't. Father said that I could come and visit him as long as he is not in a meeting."

"I see."

He gripped her hand more tightly. "I thought that you would be happy to go. You could see Major Armstrong."

She looked at him. Why would she be happy to see Major Armstrong? Her interaction with the man was necessary. Of course, he would not know that.

"Father said that the Major was showing you the city. It looked more like a date to me."

"You should have been in bed."

"So it was a date?"

"We're here."

He looked forward to Headquarters. His attention was short lived. "Father likes the Major. I don't' think that he would be upset."

"You need to mind your own business."

"Whatever."

She was tugged forward as he ran up the steps. Helping him to open the door she then walked with him down the hall. The door closed with a loud bang behind them.

"Father's office is this way."

This she already knew. The boy seemed proud for knowing the location of the office though.

"After we see Father we can go see the Major."

"That is not-"

"I don't know where his office is, but we can find out."

"I know where his office is." She didn't like the look that he gave her.

* * *

Sloth nodded to them when they approached the desk. She diverted her gaze, distracting herself with the portrait of Pride's predecessor.

"We're here to see the Fuhrer."

"I'm afraid that the Fuhrer is busy."

"Oh."

"Would you like me to tell the Fuhrer that you were here?"

"No, we'll see him when he gets home."

Sloth looked at her with an amused expression as she was dragged away. Ignoring it, she focused instead on not tripping over her own feet as the boy started to walk more quickly.

"Which way is Major Armstrong's office?"

"It is almost five."

He stopped abruptly. Looking at his wrist watch he frowned when he saw that it was indeed almost the time that they were to be home. "Alright." He turned down the hall that would lead them to the exit. "We should visit tomorrow."

"There is no need to."

"Sure there is."

She sighed. It was impossible to try to convince him of otherwise, it seemed.

"Selene."

It seemed that he would get what he wanted. She glanced over her shoulder to see Alex approaching them.

"I thought that it was you."

"Hello, Alex." She offered him a smile. Her hand was squeezed and she glanced at her cousin only to see that he had a strange look on his face.

"What are you doing here?"

"We wanted to see the Fuhrer."

Alex glanced at the boy before looking at her.

"He was busy," she said.

"The Fuhrer has much to do."

"How are you?"

"Excellent, especially now that I have seen you."

She lowered her head as if embarrassed by his declaration.

"You should eat dinner with us."

Giving her cousin a look, she then looked at Armstrong.

"It would not be right to intrude upon your home."

"You wouldn't be intruding."

"You are late." That seemed to have gotten his attention for her hand was released and her cousin darted away with a quick goodbye. Clasping her hands behind her back, she tried to ignore the sense of awkwardness that had risen. "You are more than welcome to come to dinner, Alex. I would like having you there."

"I feel terrible for having to disappoint you, but I have paperwork that I need to finish."

"It is alright. I understand." She offered him a smile in attempt to reassure him. "Maybe another time." She took a step backwards. "Did you get your jacket?"

"Yes."

"Good." She brushed some hair from her face. "I should be going. I will talk to you soon, Alex?"

"Yes."

"Good." She brushed some hair from her face. "I should be going. I will talk to you soon, Alex."

"Yes, indeed."

Smiling, she turned and followed the path that her cousin had taken. A glance was given to him as she left.


	13. Test One

**************Disclaimer: FMA (anime/manga) is the property of Hiromu Arakawa. I hold no ownership or affiliation to it. The characters Artemis, John, and Selene though are of my own creation.**

* * *

**Test One**

The Elrics had left Central. That fact was frustrating. Sloth had said that delays would not be tolerated. Other powers had deemed it fit to have the brothers slip away without notice though.

"Is something wrong?"

"No," she answered, turning her gaze away from the train station.

"You seem distracted."

"I am sorry. I was thinking."

"What of?"

"You wouldn't be interested."

"You are very interesting, Selene."

"Thank you, Alex." Her words seemed to have stopped any ensuing declaration from him. That was good. She did not want attention right now. "How has work been?"

"Excellent."

"That is good to know."

"What of you? How have you been?"

"The same. Everything has been going on as it always has." How easy it was to lie to him. "As such I was pleased to have received your note."

"That is good to hear."

He had cleared his throat. She glanced at him. He was staring forward as if to avoid looking at her. That was verified when he glanced at her only to quickly divert his gaze. There was a flash on his face, she noted. _How strange._

"I thought that I would take you to dinner."

"That sounds nice." Sloth was right; men are easily undone with a smile.

"Shall we then?"

She nodded. Taking a hold of his arm she felt his muscles tense under her hands.

"It isn't far," Armstrong said, clearing his throat again.

* * *

Armstrong seemed to have regained his composure. He gestured with his hands as he told her of his family's history. She only half-listened to him. His story was one that she could care less about. When she had decided to meet him she had hoped to question him about the Elrics. As it was she hardly had time to slip a single word in since they had arrived to the restaurant. If she tried to speak now she knew that she risked sounding uninterested and Armstrong guessing why she was with him.

"You are quiet, Selene."

"I am just enjoying listening to you." To her great amusement he flushed and looked away. He moved past this quickly and within seconds he was telling her about his grandfather. She turned her head slightly, taking special care to not appear bored.

"Major Armstrong."

They both looked at the private who was interrupting them. Her eyes narrowed slightly.

"You are needed back at Headquarters, Sir."

"Of course." He rose and bowed slightly to Selene. "We will talk again soon. Have a lovely evening, Selene."

"I will try."

Kissing the back of hand, he then turned and started to walk down the street.

She followed him with her eyes.

"He is a brute."

Her gaze turned to the captain, who had seated herself comfortably in Armstrong's abandoned chair. "What do you want, Envy?"

"To talk."

She said nothing, but instead waited for him to speak.

"Who assigned you to him?"

"Pride."

"Now that is cruel."

She sighed. "Go away. You have your own assignment, yes."

"That can wait."

the food that she and Armstrong had ordered was placed on the table. She ignored the plate, instead watching Envy as he helped himself to the food.

"The Major forgot to pay. Terrible of him to leave you with the bill."

"I have money."

He waved his hand as if to dismiss the idea. "I'll pay. A lady never pays for her meal."

She frowned.

Looking up from his food, Envy gave her a quizzical look. "You should eat."

"I'm not hungry."

"Of course not."

"What do you want?"

"I already told you that."

She shook her head. For a time she stared at him before growing tired with his silence and starting to eat.

"That's a good girl." He ignored the sharp look that was given to him.

"Why are you here?"

"I missed you."

She raised an eyebrow.

"Gluttony did actually. I just decided to come in his stead."

"That doesn't make sense."

"Think about it."

For several minutes she was silent.

"It is a shame that you have to waste your efforts on him."

"I will do what is necessary."

"Pride or Sloth could have gotten the information."

"They needed someone else."

"How close?"

She ignored the look that he gave her.

"So what do you need to learn?"

"I think that you already know."

"Humor me." When she was silent he shrugged. "You haven't enjoyed my gift yet," he said after a few minutes.

"Is there a need to?"

"It is more satisfying than this," he said, gesturing to the plates before them.

"I was not aware of that." She gave him a look when he clicked his tongue.

"You look lovely when you're annoyed."

"Go away."

"You're the one who came to me."

She was silent.

"We need to talk more."

"I see no reason to."

"No?"

"No."

He shook his head. "So young and stubborn."

"Envy."

"Come home with me."

"Why?"

"You might enjoy yourself."

"I would rather not."

"Afraid?"

"Leave me alone."

"I won't bite... Gluttony might, but then he likes you."

She opened her mouth only to close it. Silence was best right now.

"Well?"

"Pride is expecting me."

"Is he now? I would have thought that he would have you sleeping with that brute." He smirked when he saw her expression. "You don't have to. There are other ways to seduce information from him. I like your method. The old Lust dated a lot too. Of course, she also knew when to have fun."

Words would get her no where. Pulling out some money she put it on the table before standing and leaving. Armstrong had made a good table selection since they were seated outside. It made for an easier exit.

"Don't be that way."

Envy was following her. She wished that he wouldn't. He needed to go away.

"I can understand your need to be chaste. There's nothing wrong with that. Though, it might prove ineffective in the long run."

She stopped walking and turned to face him. "Go away."

"It does make you seem weak though."

"I said, go away!" Her eyes widened and she froze.

Smirking, Envy looked down at the five nails that were imbedded in his chest. "Good to see that you're not helpless."

Her nails shortened to their original length. She stared in shock at her hands, her fingers wet with Envy's blood.

"You might not be as pathetic as I thought."

"How did I do that? How can I-"

He crossed the space that separated them. His body morphed back to its normal form.

"I don't-"

"We'll talk." He took her hand. "About the Elrics and this."

She looked at him and then her hand again. After a moment she nodded, her fingers curling around his hand. "Alright."


	14. A New Level to the Game

******************Disclaimer: FMA (anime/manga) is the property of Hiromu Arakawa. I hold no ownership or affiliation to it. The characters Artemis, John, and Selene though are of my own creation.**

* * *

**A New Level to the Game**

Sloth had explained to her what a homunculus was- what she was. She had been told the mission. The pecking order had been defined. Dante had become a mythic figure head. An order and a plan existed.

All of that was gone now. Her eyes had been opened.

A homunculus was no longer the simple creature that she had originally believed them to be. She was no longer simple. A level of complexity existed that she could hardly begin to comprehend. Why had neither Sloth nor Pride told her of this? She should have been told. It was not fair for her to not know. She had abilities that she had never been aware of. Why had this been kept a secret?

Envy had explained everything to her. At least, he had told her of most of it. She got the impression that he had not told her some information that was important. That may be wrong though. She may be thinking that he was keeping information from her because the others had. There was no real reason for her to think that way. Envy was being honest.

In the course of only a few minutes she had learned many things about herself. The first was that she was not a passive creature. She also learned that she did not have to be controlled. The latter was excellent. The thought of freedom was tempting. Maybe it was because of this new knowledge that she had said yes.

The stones had been a temptation. Since Envy had first given them to her she had managed to resist the stones. Now, she had agreed to eat them. The first stone that she had consumed had been an experience. The sense of strength that had possessed her had nearly been overwhelming. She had been uncertain of how to respond. It was exhilarating. Envy had only grinned at her. She had then consumed two more stones before stopping. Envy had said that she could always have more whenever she needed it. When she had shaken her head in a negative, he had only shrugged. She had left soon after.

* * *

As she walked down the street she had felt like when she had first developed this form. She wanted to use this new strength that she now possessed. What she would do she did not know.

A couple walked ahead of her. She could hear their laughter. Her hands twitched at her sides. A strange desire took hold of her. The woman leaned over to kiss the man. The sight caused a dull ache in her chest and then she felt anger. Turning around she decided to take another route home rather than act on her urges.

* * *

"Welcome home."

Pride stood on the stairs, blocking her path. She looked for his wife, but did not see her. "Excuse my tardiness."

"The major returned to headquarters. I expected you to return here."

"I wished to go for a walk." She slipped her shoes off before beginning to ascend the stairs. Pride stepped into her path. She stiffened when he touched her shoulder.

"Be sure to come straight home in the future."

She did not like the way that he was looking at her. It made her uncomfortable. "I will," she said quietly.

"Good girl."

He let her go and she continued up the steps. She made certain not to walk too quickly. Did he know where she had been? She paused at the top of the steps to look at him. He smiled at her before descending the steps, disappearing within the library. It was possible that he did. Pride had many means that were available to him. If Pride knew then Sloth knew and what did that mean for her? She chewed her lower lip. After lingering for a moment longer she then went to her bedroom.

* * *

Envy said that she could control her abilities and that need for practice would be minimal. Everything would come naturally to her. She had been staring at her hands for the past three hours and she had been unable to repeat what she had once done. There was no nail growth; nothing.

The anger that she had experienced around Envy could not be called upon again. She had considered consuming more of the stones, but had decided not too. Earlier she had still been experiencing the effects and had not been able to use the heightened sense of power as she wished to.

With a sigh she went to her bed and laid down. She didn't feel tired. Sloth said that she did not need sleep. What was it like to sleep? One of the books that she had read had contained a description about the character's dreams. Could she dream? She wondered what it was like to dream as well. Closing her eyes she tried to sleep. This too she failed at.

She rolled onto her side to turn on the bedside lamp. After grabbing the book on the table she propped herself up with the pillows and entered another world.

* * *

The delivery boy looked nervous when she opened the door. She attempted to figure out why. Had she managed to frighten him? Did he catch a glimpse of what she was because she was frustrated and-

No, that was not the reason. His gazed darting over her form prompted her to sigh. The noise seemed to bring him out of whatever thoughts that he was having. He licked his lips. She maintained a polite smile.

"I have a delivery for a Miss Selene."

"Thank you." She took the long box that he handed her. When the boy had jogged down the steps she closed the door. She set the box down on one of the hall's tables. Within she found a dozen white roses. A note rested on top of them. It was an apology note from Armstrong. She smirked when she saw that he wished to meet with her tonight.

Almost, she wanted to. A date with him would get her out of the house for the night. Pride would certainly allow her to leave if she went to meet Armstrong. However, she didn't feel that full desire to go. What would she do; sit and listen to him speak? If she could direct the conversation to the Elrics she supposed that she could tolerate several more hours together with him though, Armstrong was not a terrible person to be around either. Even if she did not learn what she needed she could still get closer to him as she was supposed to be.

As she placed the roses in a vase she found herself pondering Armstrong's request. Was it customary for suitors to make contact so soon after a date? One of the books that she had read had said yes, but that was a fictional world. She would have to ask Sloth.

* * *

"Major Armstrong."

Lieutenant Bross was trying and failing to hide a smile. Alex took the envelope that was handed to him. Lovely cursive decorated the front with his name. He assumed that it was from Selene, but was glad to see her name within. Bross was still standing before him. A look sent him skittering back to his desk. He smiled, shook his head, and read the note to himself. "Wonderful!"

Bross and Ross looked between themselves and then to the major. Deciding to remain silent, they instead focused on picking up the papers and pens that had been dropped due to Armstrong's outburst.

He was quick to help them with cleaning up. She would meet with him. That fact raised his spirits. This day was a good one. He knew that it would be. Yes, this was just wonderful. A knock on the door alerted him to the colonel's arrival. He quickly stood, saluting him. "Sir."

"At ease, Major." Roy adjusted his hold on the papers in his hands. "I have some paperwork."

"Yes of course, sir." This was extra work, but he could finish it without issue. Mustang appeared rather elated with his agreement. He supposed that the colonel had a date as well. The papers were handed over to him and Mustang quickly left; most likely to avoid Hawkeye.

* * *

The cafe was pleasant. Pride's wife had recommended the place to her after she had seen the roses. She sipped the hot tea that had been brought to her. Something about the drink was familiar. She was not certain what it was only that she enjoyed the flavor.

"Would you like a fresh pot of tea, miss?"

"Yes, thank you."

The waitress was young, sweet. She didn't speak much, but she did enjoy the few words that they had exchanged. At some point in the future she would have to return here.

"Selene."

She looked up at Armstrong, shielding her eyes against the late afternoon sun. "Hello, Alex," she said with a bright smile.

He took her hand and bowed slightly as he kissed it before sitting down.

"I hope you do not mind. I ordered us some tea."

"That is fine."

The woman returned. She thanked her and then poured Armstrong a cup.

"Jasmine."

"What?"

"The tea."

"I am sorry. I am do not know much about tea."

"My sister is fond of it."

She smiled to herself. Another sip. "You must know much about the subject then."

"Yes, I have learned much from her."

He was quieter. She wondered if the hot drink had calmed him or maybe he had a hard day. "How was work today, Alex?"

"Productive."

"I am glad." She set her cup down and he followed suit. "Are you well?"

"Yes, I am fine. I am merely enjoying your company."

She managed to make herself blush and took a quick sip from her cup. "I can say the same."

He coughed into his hand. Seeing their waitress he waved her over. Selene was looking at him, her pale gaze gentle. She seemed more content with just looking at him. To have her attention was... flattering.


End file.
